Half of Windows 8 users still prefer 7

Mark Raby, 28th September 2012

Even the most ardent, up-to-date Windows aficionados are having a tough time with the newest version of Windows.
Microsoft's latest operating system is proving to be a problem for more than half of the people who have already made the transition, according to a new survey from independent help site Forumswindows8.com.

The survey included 50,000 votes from early adopters, and found that only 25% of them were already able to call Windows 8 their favorite operating system. A massive 53% still proclaimed Windows 7 as the best.

In fact, Windows 8 barely edged out Windows XP, which garnered 20% of the vote. 2% cast a vote for "Other."

While there is obviously still plenty of time for these and other users to become more familiar with Windows 8 and appreciate it more, the complaints they have no largely encompassed the price. For those upgrading from legacy Windows systems, going to the new version is not cheap.

26% of survey takers said system requirements were an issue, 25% had gripes about incompatibility, and 20% said they had experienced computer freezes with Windows 8.

Microsoft has a lot of ambition with Windows 8, and with a complete interface overhaul and functionality up the wazoo, it does have a chance to make a splash.

The most distinct aspect of Windows 8 is a special version of the user interface which allows users to have complete customization on their home page, including widgets, RSS readers, weather information, date/time, etc.

In addition, since this is such a revolutionary new platform, Microsoft wants to scrap out all remnants of the "old-school" look and feel. Instead of a Start bar, hovering your mouse over that corner of the screen will allow you to swap between the Metro UI and the traditional desktop. For the mobile version of Windows 8, the new UI will be the default interface.

For the most part, new users appear to like the updated look. Only a relatively small 18% said the new interface was a negative factor in the new OS.